Bitfury, Swiss Investment Firm Launch Regulated Bitcoin Mining Fund

Blockchain technology firm Bitfury and Switzerland-based investment firm Final Frontier have jointly launched a regulated bitcoin mining fund.

The fund is targeted at institutional and professional investors to give them “convenient access" to bitcoin mining, Bitfury announced in a blog post Wednesday.

Traditionally, there have been “technological, logistical, financial and execution risk challenges” with access to bitcoin mining, the firm said, adding that the fund aims to address those challenges with an offering that has now been authorized by a European financial watchdog. Which particular regulator was not specified, however.

The fund will invest in turnkey assets consisting of mining sites with some of the “lowest electricity and operating costs globally,” scouted and operated by Bitfury, which specializes in manufacturing cryptocurrency mining infrastructure and also mines itself.

Claiming that the fund has been launched at an “advantageous” time for investors, Final Frontier co-founder, Imraan Moola, said:

“With the bitcoin price down significantly from its all-time high, yet institutional interest growing every day, now may be an opportune time to consider investing in bitcoin mining.”

Bitfury’s executive vice-chairman George Kikvadze said that the fund will help investors “strengthen” their portfolios and bring bitcoin closer to mainstream adoption.

Earlier this year, Bitfury partnered with South Korean R&D firm Commons Foundation to jointly launch a network of bitcoin mining operations in Paraguay.

Bitfury is also reportedly considering an initial public offering (IPO) in Amsterdam, London or Hong Kong, possibly to be held this year. The firm raised $80 million in November, in a round led by venture capital firm Korelya Capital, with Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital, Macquarie Capital and Dentsu Inc. also participating.

Mining image via Shutterstock